NRO reminder on KBK rail

Tathya.in, Jan 31, 2009
Bhawanipatna:31/January/2009

Critical infrastructure like national highway, railway line and telecommunication is poorest in Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) region in Orissa.

And Naxalism takes advantage of the backward region due to hilly and forest terrain.

However, infrastructure owes in general and rail connectivity in particular in KBK is being neglected severely and has not yet been considered by the Centre.

It is clearly evident from struggling ongoing projects since decades in KBK region such as Lanjigarh road – Junagarh and Balangir – Khordha road lines.

In last couple of years Indian Railway has committed Rs.50,000 crore investment only in Bihar for various ongoing and new projects where as Orissa, especially KBK, is being continuously neglected since decades by Indian railway.

Politicians have often used backwardness of KBK in general and Kalahandi in particular to show case their eagerness towards the poor people in the society though they fail to scrutinize high rate of unemployment rate among semi-skilled and skilled laborer in the region.

While Indian Railway has proposed to establish new factory in UP, Bihar and Kerala, it has coolly forgotten Orissa, alleged Digamabara Patra in a memorandum to Dr. Man Mohan Singh.

Lanjigarh road is located in the border of Kandhamal, Rayagada and Kalahandi.

A factory based at Lanjigarh road/Bhawanipatna will enormously benefit Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Gajpati, Sonepur and Malkangiri equally as it is centrally located to all the districts, feel Dr. Patra.

A leading Non Resident Oriya (NRO) argues for a new East Coast railway division in Lanjigarh road/Bhawanipatna.

This will help to speed up the railway projects in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Gajpati, Sonepur and Malkangiri districts many of which are poorly connected by Indian railway.

Completion of Lanjigarh road – Jungarh line completely in 2009-10 , conneting Khordha road – Balangir line in Eleventh Plan has been urged.

Immediate approval of the projects like Lanjigarh road – Phulbani – Angul line Junagarh – Nabarangpur – Jeypur – Malkangiri – Balachandar road line and Kantabanji – Khariar – Dharamgarh – Ampani – Nabarangpur – Jeypur line has been urged by Dr.Patra, who teaches in American University of Beirut.